I’m hopping right along with my Moda Bake Shop summer progress! I love staring with a great pattern and adding my own spin with color and fabric. So if you’re checking out the MBS blocks, mine look a wee bit different. For instance, I’m not using the recommended fabrics. Instead I choose a more ‘Lorrie‘ palate and went with the Riley Blake Backyard Roses line. Bright colors with a retro 30’s feel.

Block 9✔️ Bee-Fruitful On this block I chose to machine applique the napkin/quilt the watermelon is resting on instead of embroidering it and added a lazy daisy stitch as the seeds.

Block 10✔️ Bee-Kind The changes I made to this block were simply floss color choices and added eyelashes to her because who doesn’t love pink fluffy bunnies!

Block 11✔️ Bee-Industrious Once again, it’s all in the colors. A brighter green tractor and I added more color with some purple wildflowers to the grass.

Block 12✔️ Bee-Grateful I just substituted the wool hive entrance with a brown cotton plaid. Easy-peasy:)

Don’t be afraid to take an existing pattern and create your own version, your own vision of it. Small changes can make a big impact. This is how we grow as quilter’s. Go outside of the box and Bee-Creative!!

It’s hot y’all! But no matter how hot it gets here in Chicagoland, I know I can brave it cause it ain’t hot till you’ve lived your summers in OKC and the heat slaps you in the face and the humidity takes your breath away. So it’s hot here, but it ain’t that hot!

To stay outta the heat for awhile, I’ve been catching up on my Bee-utiful embroidery blocks. Take a peek and try to find yourself something to do this summer to get outta the heat dome!

Block 5✔️ Bee-Courteous…Check out those tiny 1/4″ hexies I made scattered in with the embroidered ones.

Block 6✔️ Bee-Sweet

Block 7✔️ Bee-Charming

Block 8✔️ Bee-Simple

You can find all of the blocks in the quilt along that have come out so far at Moda Bake Shop.

She’s the newest baker on the block and she’ll be releasing 20 blocks over the course of the summer until late August. Each block includes a sweet Bee and a cute theme. I was sold on this idea when I saw the bicycle with a basket of flowers block. I’ve already finished 4 of my blocks so far.

My CLMQG friend, Sharon, got me all excited about these blocks! Isn’t that exactly what good quilty friends do!?!

I’m using Riley Blake’s Backyard Roses fabric for my blocks. I haven’t exactly cut the fabrics yet but I’m auditioning them as I go along by photographing my stitchery on pressed fat quarters. It’s lookin’ pretty sweet so far!

If you decide to join in on the summer fun, be sure to post your blocks on the Bee-utiful Quilt-A-Long FB group and on Instagram with the hashtags #beeutifulQAL.